Risk Factors for Cytomegalovirus
List of Risk Factors for Cytomegalovirus
The list of risk factors mentioned for Cytomegalovirus
in various sources
includes:
Risk factors discussion:
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection: DVRD (Excerpt)
Most healthy people working with infants and children face no special risk from CMV infection. However, for
women of child-bearing age who previously have not been infected with CMV, there is a potential risk to the
developing unborn child (the risk is described above in the Pregnancy section). Contact with children who are in
day care, where CMV infection is commonly transmitted among young children (particularly toddlers), may be a
source of exposure to CMV. Since CMV is transmitted through contact with infected body fluids, including urine
and saliva, child care providers (meaning day care workers, special education teachers, therapists, as well as
mothers) should be educated about the risks of CMV infection and the precautions they can take. Day care workers appear to
be at a greater risk than hospital and other health care providers, and this may be due in part to the increased
emphasis on personal hygiene in the health care setting.
Recommendations for individuals providing care for infants and children:
- Female employees should be educated concerning CMV, its transmission, and hygienic practices, such as
handwashing, which minimize the risk of infection.
- Susceptible nonpregnant women working with infants and children should not routinely be transferred to
other work situations.
- Pregnant women working with infants and children should be informed of the risk of acquiring CMV
infection and the possible effects on the unborn child.
- Routine laboratory testing for CMV antibody in female workers is not recommended, but can be performed
to determine their immune status.
(Source: excerpt from
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection: DVRD)
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection: DVRD (Excerpt)
Primary (or the initial) CMV infection in the immunocompromised patient can cause serious disease. However,
the more common problem is the reactivation of the dormant virus. Infection with CMV is a major cause of
disease and death in immunocompromised patients, including organ transplant recipients, patients undergoing
hemodialysis, patients with cancer, patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs, and HIV-infected patients.
Pneumonia, retinitis (an infection of the eyes), and gastrointestinal disease are the common manifestations of
disease. Because of this risk, exposing immunosuppressed patients to outside sources of CMV should be
minimized. Whenever possible, patients without CMV infection should be given organs and/or blood products that
are free of the virus. (Source: excerpt from Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection: DVRD)
About risk factors:
Risk factors for Cytomegalovirus are factors that do not seem
to be a direct cause of the disease,
but seem to be associated in some way.
Having a risk factor for Cytomegalovirus
makes the chances
of getting a condition higher but does
not always lead to Cytomegalovirus.
Also, the absence of any risk factors
or having a protective factor does not necessarily
guard you against getting Cytomegalovirus.
For general information and a list of risk factors,
see the risk center.
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